Although I was very willing to visit parks and botanical gardens on Saturday, weather did not cooperate much and the solution was to choose some indoor activities. It had been a while that I wanted to visit Mast Brothers Chocolate, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The local brand has a shop and factory in the neighborhood – and the coolest thing is that you can take a tour to learn more about the manufacturing process of chocolate. We were there, we did the tour and I will tell you a little bit about it!
Mast Brothers was founded by two brothers, Rick and Michael Mast, in 2007 and now there are stores in New York and London – and soon in Los Angeles. The highlight of the brand is the manufacturing process. With cocoa from Tanzania and Peru, chocolates recipes take few ingredients – and all organic – and do not have preservatives – they are super natural. The production follows a ritual to make chocolates with intense flavor and texture that melts in your mouth. The formulas are not filled with a lot of sugar. Those who loves more intense flavors will surely enjoy. It is a gourmet concept.
Public tours available every day. Reservations can be made online. Monday – Friday, 4 pm, Weekends 12pm, 3pm – $ 10 per person and it lasts about 30 minutes. The place is not huge – remember that this is not a huge chocolate factory. However, the experience of knowing the place and the whole process is interesting. The tour begins with an explanation about cocoa – and how the beans are roasted for use in the manufacture of chocolate. You can even try it! The guide explains each step of the process and the experience ends with a tasting – smoked chocolate, goats milk chocolate, citrus chocolate… Delicious!
Even if you do not do the tour, it is worth to stop by the store if you are in the Williamsburg area – the neighborhood is super cool, full of young people, interesting shops and restaurants. The chocolates are not very cheap – but if you enjoy stronger and more intense flavors, it worths trying, I loved it!
Address: 111 N 3rd St – use L line.
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
